Chapter II:

"Dad? Anything on the news?"

I walked into the room, no heads turned.

Kevin asked again, "Dad? Anything?"

Jason, my father, looked up from his daily paper. "Not today… nothing good, only some gay idiot got raped on the streets last night. What an idiot, his parents should have sent him to a mental institute."

I shook my head. What the fuck do you mean, dad? Nothing? That isn't any news? A guy was raped… and you think that was nothing? What an disgusting bastard.

I looked around the room… Dane was no where to be found. My mother was talking on her phone again. "No, Kyle… how many orders?" Her face lit up. "THAT many? Oh my, Mrs. Wilson is going over the top this year"…

I walked over to the kitchen. There were two plates filled with eggs and toast on the table… one for me and one for Dane… They were cold… I hated eggs… I left the death fulfilling breakfast on the counter and made myself some tea… I never drank coffee, hated it.

"Adrian, are you going to come straight home today?" Randy asked me.

I turned to the little genius and stared at his green eyes… I wanted to say no, that I had other things to do… maybe tell them that I had a hot date. "Yes, Randy, I am coming straight home."

My mom turned to me and put her hand over the receiver. "Adrian, will you pick up Randy today after school?"

No, mom, I don't want to… I'm sick of doing all of your work… "Samantha can't?"

"She has a date again," she said nothing more as she went on with her conversation with Kyle.

I finished my tea and picked up my back pack and my coat. I headed out of the door, nobody noticed.

"A!"

I turned. Dane drove up next to me in his convertible that dad had gotten him for his 16th birthday, two years ago when Dane wasn't in therapy. "Want a ride to school?" and pulls open the passenger seat.

"Why did you leave so early today?"

"Couldn't stand mom and dad's rambling." His eyes were fixed on the road, he looked tired. He looked over at me and grimaced, I guess I looked tired too. "Are you going to go to school today or what?"

"Yeah… have to… big Calculus test."

He grinned. "You are really the smart one, A. Calculus at your age."

Yeah… smart, right…if I had truly been so smart then I would have refused calculus… just a bunch of stuck up dorks in that class anyways… "Not as smart as Randy though."

Dane laughed. "You could beat Randy down any day. He is merely just a thorn who likes to read allot."

Yeah… a thorn…

"You don't remember me?"

"I don't remember much of anything anymore…"

"Don't scare me… please… don't leave… You have to remember me… I can't be without you… I'm nothing without you…"

"A?" I heard Dane's voice from his room.

"Yeah?" I was tired…

"Do you remember when you were seven and I was nine, we got lost at our camping trip?"

I didn't answer…

"Do you remember seeing that star?"

I closed me eyes… Yes, Dane… I remember… I wished that I never had to go back home…to stay there forever…

"We made a wish…did yours come true?"

No, it didn't… "Yes, it did."

"Do you think mine will?" his voice sounded distant again. "I don't mind if it doesn't… but… I just wish it would… Ya know?"

A wish to wish… "Yeah, I know… it will… one day, Dane… it will…"

"Miss. Darson, come here."

All eyes turned to me. I stood… what did he want now? I didn't do anything… this was art class… I painted… what… I couldn't get in trouble in this class as well. I walked up to his desk.

"Resume with what you were doing," Mr. Milo told the class. He looked at me. He was a skinny tall man with wide brown eyes. His hair was long and tied back in a pony tail. His skin was pale and his face looked ashy white. He always wore the same thing… black jeans and a gray shirt. "Miss. Darson…"

Here it comes… what did I do?

He held up my painting. "I have never seen anything so realistic…" He handed me a blue flier. "I want your permission to send this into the state painting contest this next month."

I was speechless. "What?"

"Adrian…"

It was odd hearing a teacher say my first name.

"I have never seen this kind of work in ages. The reality of it…" he looked at the painting… "There is so much beauty…"

Your words are so trite…

"Miss. Darson, are you aware of how much talent you have?"

… I have talent…?

"I really hope you will let me put up this picture for the contest."

… I don't want anybody to see it… ever… "I will think about it," I found myself murmuring. "Could I have it…?"

Mr. Milo smiled, a genuine smile something I haven't seen in ages. "I will keep it with me till you decide. If you say yes to presenting it in the contest then I will have to submit it but if you do not wish to have it submitted then I will give it back to you." I opened my mouth but suddenly he interrupted me- "have them see you, Adrian… Think about it."

Have them see me? A wall… with pictures? Memories? Black and white films? Sad faces? Masks? Longings? Desires? Dreams? Hopes? Wishes? Emotions? Anger? Regret? Pain? Nausea?… Have them see me? What would they see?… a blank wall… with hidden…

The bell suddenly rang and I was the first out the door. I had to meet Dane right now! I didn't care that I missed my last to classes. He wouldn't allow my parents even ten feet near him. Something was wrong… again. He sounded desperate when he called after art class… almost scared…

So caught up in my own thoughts, I suddenly bumped into someone I had not noticed as I rushed passed the hall. I stumbled over the guy and lost my balance. He lost his own and we fell together.

I was deeply embarrassed though we were alone in the hallway. I looked at the guy I bumped into to.

"I'm sorry."

"No," there was a smile on his face, "I am. You are skipping class?" I saw his amber eyes lit up… they were truly beautiful.

I found myself suddenly tongue tied. "Yes."

He grinned. "So am I."

I blinked. Someone was talking to me, someone was actually talking to me… someone who looked beautiful… Could you describe a guy as beautiful? "Should you be doing that?"

His grin broadened. "No but you are skipping too so I guess it isn't too bad?" He shrugged. "My name is Anron."

My thinking stopped short. "Wasn't he a saint?"

He smiled at me, "yeah, I didn't think anybody here would know that."

Suddenly, I remembered that I had to meet Dane. I didn't want to leave Anron but.. "I'm sorry, I really have go now." I started walking pass him… my legs felt like jello.

"Wait," he called after me.

I stopped and turned around.

"What is your name?"

"My name?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Adrian"…